European Direct Reduced Iron and Alternative Ironmaking Conference - IRONMASTERS 2022

The total CO2e footprint of all ironmaking technologies is linked to their material inputs. The CO2e embedded in the production of these feed materials and the logistics of their supply are non-trivial, and complete accounting of these costs – from mine or well head to hot metal – is necessary for a holistic comparison of the emissions footprint of the available ironmaking technologies. Thanks to the many life cycle analyses now available, a holistic accounting of all greenhouse gas emissions can be performed. This work presents a collection of factors for the embedded CO2e in ironmaking feed materials and employs them in a comparative analysis of alternative ironmaking technologies. Results are presented and discussed in the context of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions including the contributions of CO2, CH4 and NOx. Of interest are the sensitivity of total emissions to the reductant mix employed and the potential to mitigate global CO2e ironmaking emissions.